Latch.



G. T. NICHOLS. LATCH.

APILIOATION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

1,099,391L Patented June 9,1914.

J7 22,3. @Nl

GewyeT/Lb/wls INVENTOR ATTORN EY UMTED `STATES PATENT FFCE.

GEORGE THOMAS NICHOLS, OF GAINESVILLE, TEXAS.

LATCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Geenen T. Nronons, acitizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in the county ofCooke and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Latch, of whichthe following is a specification. I

The invention relates to improvements 1n latches.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oflatches, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and eilicient latch ofstrong and durable construction, designed principally for use inconnection with the end gate, fastener forming the subjectmatter ot mycopending application., filed June 25, 1912, Serial No. 705,836.

A further object of the invention is to provide a latch of thischaracter adapted also for use on fence gates, barn doors and similarclosures, and to enable the same to be securely fastened and preventthem from being opened by horses and other animals.

VW ith these and other objects in view, the invent-ion consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter 'fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being `understood that various changes inthe forrn, proportion, size and minor details of construction, Withinthe scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing` from thespirit or sacrilicing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingr-#Figure 1 is an elevation of an end gate provided with alatch, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line Q--Q et Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a portion of the end gate, the latch beingnnfastened and the end gate being broken at the joint.

Like numerals ot' reference designate corresponding parts in all theigures of the drawing.

1n the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention, the end gate is composed of a main section1 and a relatively small side section 2, connected to the main sectionby suitable hinges 3, which are adapted to per mit the end gate whenunfastened to break outwardly to enable its ends to be readilydisengaged from cleats 4 and 5 of sides 6 of Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 10, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Serial No. 753,407.

a wagon body or bed 7. rlhe main section 1 is preferably reinforced byspaced vertical cleats S and 9, secured to the outer or rear face of themain section at opposite sides of the center of the end gate, the cleat9`being located at and slightly overlapping the joint between the mainand side sections 1 and 2,`

as clearly illustrated in Figs, 2 and 3 of the drawing. The sidesectionis held rigidly in alinement with the main section by a latchcomprising a horizontal arm or bar 10, constructed of suitable metal andsecured at its o uter end portion 11 to the outer face of the sidesection 2 at t-he outer side of the vertical cleat 9 by rivets 12, orother suitable fastening devices and having its inner end portion 13,fitted against the outer face of the main section at the inner side ofthe said cleat 9. The bar or arm 10, which is rigidv with the sid'esection 2, is provided at an intermediate point with an outward bend 14,fitting around the cleat 9 and composed of an outer s1de 15, an innerside 1G and a connecting portion, which lits against the outer face ofthe cleat 9. The outer side portion 15 extends from the terminalattaching portion of the arm or bar at right angles to the saidattaching portion, and the inner side portion 16 is disposed at anobtuse angle to the inner end portion 15 and to the outer connectingportion of the bend 14:, as clearly shown in Fig. Q of the drawing. l

The inner end portion 13 is detachably secured to the main section 1 ofthe end gate by a movable locking device or catch consisting of ahorizontal pivot 17, and an outer approximately Lshaped crank portion 18arranged in a plane transversely with respect to the pivot and having aterminal handle portion extending outwardly so as to be readily grasped.The pivot 17 pierces the main section of the end gate and is secured ina bearingopening of the same by a key 19` which is arranged in aperforation of the inner end of the said pivot, a washer 20 beingpreferably interposed between the key and the inner er front face of themain section 1 ot the end gate. The inner end portion 13 of the rigidarm is provided with a substantially circular opening 21 to receive theouter portion of the horizontal pivot 17, and it also has an entranceslot 22, communicating with the opening and extending upwardly andinwardly at an inclination from the said opening to the upper edge ofthe arm, whereby it is necessary to arrange the approximately L- shapedcrank lof the locking device in an upwardly inclined position and inalinement with the angularly disposed entrance slot to release the rigidarm and permit the same to move outwardly from the main section of theend gate when the latter breaks at the joint. The entrance slot and theopening form a slot or opening with angularly arranged branches, andwhile the entrance slot 22 is shown extending upwardly and inwardly atan angle to the opening 21, it may be arranged in any other convenientposition, but it is preferable to extend the entrance upwardly so thatwhen the crank of the pivot is swung downwardly and extended below therigid arm, it will ybe impossible for the latter to become accidentallyunfastened, as friction and gravity will maintain the crank in itsengaging position. The outer terminal 23 of the crank 18 is preferablyextended outwardly to enable the pivoted catch or locking device to bereadily grasped by the operator and con veniently rotated to lock andrelease the hinged sections of the end gate. In replacing the end gate,the outer end of the main section l is introduced between thecleats atone side of the wagon body, and the side section 2 is arranged inposition between the cleats at the opposite side of the body and thehorizontal arm forms a convenient handle for moving the section 2 intosuch engagement and for forcing the sections into alinement. After thesections of the end gate are locked in alinement, the end gate issecured to the sides of the wagon body by the end gate fastener 24,forming the subject-matter of the aforesaid application. When the latchis employed ona'barn doors, gates and similar swinging closures, theattached end of the horizontal arm is secured to the supporting post orother part to which the swinging closure is hinged, and the pivotedlatch is mounted on such closure inl position for engaging the openingof the arm when the swinging door closure is in its closed position. Theparts, however, may be reversed and the arm fixed to the swinging doorclosure vand the pivoted catch tothe supporting post. rlhe latch willoperate in either position and the arrangement more suitable to theconditions of use may be employed. When the swinging closure is lockedby the latch, it is securely held in rigid relation with the supportingpost,- and the crank of the pivot and its projecting terminal willefl'ectually prevent a horse or other animal from operating the latchand release the gate or other closure.

What is claimed is l. A latch of the class described including an armprovided at one end with an attaching portion and having an opening atthe other end and provided with an inclined entrance slot extending fromthe opening at an angle thereto and forming a slot or opening withangularly related branches, and a locking device consisting of a pivot,and a crank arm extending from the outer end of the pivot and having asubstantially L-shaped portion arranged in a plane trans`V versely withrespect to the pivot and provided with an outwardly extending terminalhandle portion, the said L-shaped portion being adapted to be arrangedin alinement with the angularly related branches of the said slot oropening and to pass therethrough and capable through the rotary movementof the pivot of being carried away from the inclined entrance portion ofthe said slot to arrange it in a position for lock-V ing the arm.

Q. The combination with an end gate including two sections hingedtogether at the inner face and provided at the outer face with avertical cleat secured to one of the sections and overlapping the other,of a latch comprising a horizontal arm having one of its ends attachedto one of the sections o-f the end gate and provided intermediate of itsends with a bend extending around the cleat, the other end of the armfitting against the other section of the end gate and having an openingand provided with an entrance slot extending from the opening at anangle thereto and forming a slot or opening with angularly relatedbranches, and a locking device consisting of a substantially L-shapedcrank member having an integral pivot piercing one of the sections ofthe end gate in substantial horizontal alinement with the attached endof the said arm, said crank member being adapted to be arranged inalinement with and passed through the said entrance slot and capable ofrotary movement to carry it away from the slot and Varrange it inposition for locking the said arm. n

ln testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afxedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE THMAS NICHOLS.

Witnesses J. E. HAYwoR'rH, JNO. MGKQMGCARTHY.

opies f this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by `addressingthe Commissioner ci Patents, Washington, D. C.

